Mine.
Black eye faded, split lip almost healed, swelling on his cheekbone nearly gone. He took a beating, not necessarily forme, but for the greater good of himself and ultimately our future.
Me encanta.
Reaching up, I brush my fingers along his battered face. “You’re almost all healed. That means we can finally venture out into the world.”
“But why would we do that when we have a perfectly good bed?” His pink lips twist as he drops them to my jaw, kissing a line over to my ear.
Pulling away from his almost excessively ravenous mouth, I prop up onto my elbows and look around the sparse room.
“Because that’s pretty much all we have,” I chuckle. “We needfurniture, Diablo. Decor, products…Groceries. We’ve been in bed for days.”
He breathes out of amusement. “Si, your voice is pretty much gone.” His hand on my lower back tugs me until we’re flush again. “It’s hot.”
I wiggle away. “No more hiding in this bedroom, Diablo. Up and at ‘em.”
He frowns. “I’m not hiding, I’mrelaxing. There’s a difference.”
“Yea, I get that. But it’s been nearly a week since you moved me in here, and I still don’t even have my own toothbrush.” I grin.
The frown line between his brow deepens. “I’m sorry, baby bird. I’m slacking on my duties as yourprovider.” He stretches out in bed, grabbing me by the waist once more. “Tomorrow, I promise.”
I’m giggling, and it makes him smile. “Don’t you dare pull me back into cuddling!”
He growls, rolling on top of me and pinning me to the mattress. “I have ways of keeping you here, pajarito.” His smirk teases my flesh. “I’ve kidnapped you before, remember?”
“I do. It’s only been a week since I escaped my cage,” I murmur.
One more kiss and he abruptly sits back, yanking me with him. “You’re right, my Angel. Let’s get up and become functioning members of society, shall we?”
My beaming would be impossible to ignore.
“And I don’t want you to feel like a guest here, baby,” he says firmly, but with some wonder in his tone. Like he’s still amazed that this is happening. “This is your home too.” I bite my lip, toying with the messy strands of silky white. “So, let’s get cleaned up and dressed. We’ll go get something, and then go shopping.”
I’m visibly excited as he winks. But before I can get up on my own, he tosses me over his shoulder, carrying me into the en suite while I squeal.
I really wasn’t sure what to expect when we left the island. When Ivory told me we were moving to the West Coast, and I was even more unsure. I’d lived in New York for almost five years at that point. I knew I’d miss it.
But then… I’d never been toLas Vegasbefore.
Ivory has a few houses scattered in various parts of the world, but the only ones he has in The States are in Vegas, and on Alabaster Isle—which I guess technically isn’t New York. It isn’t reallyanywhere, which is odd to think about.
Nonetheless, he’d voiced to me after surrendering to Velle and his people that, what with Governor Russo being gone, it was a good idea to stay out of New York for a while.
The business in Vegas is said to be booming, so coming out this way was barely a choice.
Alabaster Isle, and everything on it, now belongs to Jonathan Chevelle, which means Diablo and I are starting fresh in Las Vegas.
Little did I know that he’s never actuallylivedin the house in Vegas, so it’s practically empty. We were supposed to be normal people and furnish it when we got here, but instead we spent thelast five days in bed, ordering DoorDash and fucking until our bodies were just on the brink of shutting down.
I won’t say it hasn’t been the best week of my life, because it has. But now it’s time to explore what comes next.
Out of the shower, dressed in one of the few outfits I packed, so little shorts and an oversized crop, I’m brushing my hair while Manuel stands beside me, shaving.
“Yari’s going to the mansion this week to coordinate packing up some more of my things,” he tells me. “If there’s anything you want, or need…”
“The garden.” I pout, and he chuckles woefully. “The aviary, the pond. There are just… more than a few things about that mansion I’m going to miss.”
